In the light of its harmful properties, the widespread use of maida in India must be banned at the earliest30/11/2012

It is almost impossible to find any eating joint in India that doesn’t use maida, which is the starchy white part of the wheat grain, as an ingredient in its kitchen. Maida is also been consumed directly or indirectly in Indian households. But the lesser known fact is that it is identified as a major source of diabetes & related diseases.

Maida causes blood sugar imbalance and has a negative effect on insulin. Besides, it contains anti-nutrients, which can affect the digestive process and make people more prone to heart and kidney diseases. Surprisingly, not many people know that maida is originally yellow in color and the hazardous benzoyl peroxide is added to turn it into white. This additive has already been banned in China and EU. But in India, maida – with benzoyl peroxide as an additive – is still one of the most highly consumed food products.

Today, maida constitutes a major chunk of the Rs.85 billion Indian bakery market, which is growing at 12-15% annually and is a cheap ingredient in breads and other eatables. Even popular FMCG companies use the ingredient. A case in point is the instant noodles category. Even though atta variant noodle categories are becoming prevalent, the consumer demand for the original maida noodles still persists. Not only do companies refrain from educating their consumers about maida’s ill effects, even the government strangely is ignorant. The government must urgently take steps to ban white maida and products that contain it.